Light to medium body, crisp acidity, and more fruit than some Champagnes, which you will get if you don't drink it too cold as many do. Pretty good at its price point, but nothing that dazzles.

This lacked the depth and earthiness I found in the 05 drank 2 months ago. Candied cherry fruit with some glycerin and almost a sweet finish. This one did not have the traits that has drawn me to Hansel. I don't think more bottle time will do much as I tasted the 05 even younger and it showed much better and differently.

A traditional styled Brunello, with plenty of earthiness, but not very high acidity. Somewhat reserved red and dark fruit on a medium body frame. A very nice example from a great vintage. Not imported to the US.

Medium body and acidity, with some earthy notes not often found in CA syrahs. Dark red fruit with a little pepper. Veers towards an Old World style that has less prominent fruit and ripeness, with higher acidity and tannin levels. This should age quite nicely. Not a flashy wine, but one I would rather have on my dinner table than many others. Great effort.

Full bodied, with lots of oak, and big currant and plum fruit. This aims towards the New World style of bigger is better and was almost over the top for me, but saved by enough acidity and tannins to offset the fruit. Wasn't great with the lamb as the big fruit made for a poor food wine. Preferred the Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre syrah I had recently that is more dialed down.

Mostly red fruit with ripe dark notes and some glycerin on the entry. Earth and a little heat on the finish. Probably past its peak.

Corked.

Hard to believe it was 10 years old as the wine is still very dark and the fruit tastes like it was bottled yesterday. Very big and full bodied, with lots of tannins that still need to be resolved. Got a funky, sort of sour fruit flavor on the entry that I didn't like. This definitely needs more time as it was not drinking well right now. Someone at the table had a '74 Martha's a couple of years ago that was great and his hope was that this could blossom with more time, but no one was sure if that would happen given what we tasted tonight.

Deep gold color for only 3 years in the bottle, thick texture, honey and melon flavors, sweet but not cloying, but lower acidity than many vintages. Did not have as much depth or length of finish as I have had in some other 03's, so it is not one of the better Sauternes of the vintage for me.